Digital data authentication and security system

ABSTRACT

The present invention includes a system and process for monitoring the transmission of secured, marked digital files. A cryptographic token inertly embedded in markup language tags of digital files is sought at a transmission gateway.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of data security and morespecifically to the field of data tracking and derivation analysis.

BACKGROUND

Extensible Markup Language “XML” is a flexible way to generate common,easily-exchanged information formats and share both the format and thedata on the World Wide Web, internal networks, and elsewhere. XML issimilar to hypertext markup language (HTML). Both XML and HTML includemarkup tags to describe a file or page's contents. HTML describes thecontent in terms of how the content is displayed while XML structures,stores, and transports information. Thus, an XML file can be processedpurely as data by a program. Alternately, the XML file can be displayedor stored.

While HTML uses predefined tags, XML permits a developer of an XMLdocument or fragment to define tags. Almost any data item can beidentified using a XML tag. The standard method to allow an XML documentto be created, accessed, or modified is with a document object model(DOM). A standardized specification has been developed that defines theinterfaces for the different objects comprising the DOM, but does notprovide any specifics for how a DOM should be implemented. Therefore, aprogramming language that utilizes a DOM compliant with the standardwill produce an instance of that DOM that is language-neutral andplatform-independent, regardless of how the underlying languageimplements the model.

Therefore, there is a need for a security process and system capable ofdiscreetly marking files, marking files with authenticity data,efficiently searching for instances of the marked files internally andexternally, and determining file alterations/modifications/actions.

SUMMARY

The present invention is directed to a steganographic digital datasecurity process and system for authenticating files composed of markuplanguage. The digital data security process includes accessing a markuplanguage document object model that includes markup language formatschema related to a particular digital file desired to be utilized bythe present invention. Authenticity data is generated in the form of acryptographic token with an identity marker. The digital file isreviewed to determine the markup language tag arrangement of which thedigital file is constituted. The cryptographic token is placed within atleast one of the markup language tags in a manner that prevents thecryptographic token from being recognized as markup languageinstructions according to the document object model. The resultingmarked digital file carries within its markup language tags authenticitydata relating to such information as is desired by a user to beassociated with the digital file.

The marked digital file, because the interior authenticity data thatidentifies it is inert within the markup language tag(s), behavesexactly as an unaltered digital file. The marked digital file mayundergo all of the processes of a similar digital file. The markeddigital file will carry within its contents the identity marker andencrypted authenticity data; thus, a user may scour a suspect digitalfile or suspect set of digital files to find the marked digital file,which may be located or identified on the basis of the identity marker.When the identity marker is located within the marked digital file itmay be culled from a larger file set for further review. A user mayscour digital files and digital file sets in multiple fashions,transmission scouring, dynamic external scouring, dynamic internalscouring, or manual scouring. Upon identifying a file as pertaining to adesired source, a user may provide a key that decrypts the marked fileto expose in plain text the authenticity data within the cryptographicidentity token.

The digital data security system includes the markup language documentobject model, a cryptographic token generator, a markup language mappingfunction, a cryptographic token embedding function, a scouring agent, apersistent data storage facility, and a data retriever. The markuplanguage document object model includes a listing of schemacorresponding to one or more file formats. The cryptographic tokengenerator is supplied with authenticity data including identityattribution elements to produce a cryptographic token with an identitymarker that points to the containing encrypted authenticity data. Themarkup language mapping function reviews a digital file to determine themarkup language tag arrangement of the file. The cryptographic tokenembedding function positions the cryptographic token inertly within amarkup language tag that corresponds to sets of text, corresponding togrammatical or other stylistic text arrangements, and is purposefullyimitative of markup language recognized as functional by the documentobject model corresponding to the digital file. The resulting output isa marked digital file.

The marked digital file of the present invention includes at least onecryptographic token of the present invention embedded inertly within themarkup language of the contents of a digital file. The marked digitalfile may be created by the process of the present invention directly orindirectly. The system and process of the present invention are means ofdirectly creating a marked digital file. A marked digital file may beindirectly created when a user copies a textual portion of a markeddigital file. As a copier of the marked digital file may not copy arendered subcomponent of the marked digital file without also copyingthe markup language related to the copied portion, a new documentderived from the marked digital file also includes the authenticity dataof the original marked digital file. The present invention permitstracking of a document derived from marked digital files as well markeddigital files.

The system and process further include scouring markup language tagswithin a file for an identity marker; scouring a database of multipleexternal files composed of extensible markup language for an identitymarker; scouring a transmission of multiple files composed of extensiblemarkup language for an identity marker; and scouring a database ofmultiple internal files composed of extensible markup language forinternal files lacking an identity marker. The present invention furtherincludes a file created according to the process and subprocesses hereinor utilized by the system and components thereof. Instructions may beprovided to systems and software manipulating an editable document witha cryptographic token with particular authenticity data.

These aspects of the invention are not meant to be exclusive.Furthermore, some features may apply to certain versions of theinvention, but not others. Other features, aspects, and advantages ofthe present invention will be readily apparent to those of ordinaryskill in the art when read in conjunction with the followingdescription, and accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view of an embodiment of the process of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is a view of an embodiment of the system of the presentinvention.

FIG. 3 is a view of an embodiment of the system of the presentinvention.

FIG. 4 is a view of an embodiment of the process of the presentinvention.

FIG. 5 is a view of an embodiment of the system of the presentinvention.

FIG. 6 is a view of an embodiment of the system of the presentinvention.

FIG. 7 is a view of an embodiment of the system of the presentinvention.

FIG. 8 is a view of an embodiment of the system of the presentinvention.

FIG. 9 is a view of an embodiment of the system and process of thepresent invention.

FIG. 10 is a view of an embodiment of the system and process of thepresent invention.

FIG. 11 is a view of an embodiment of the system and process of thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2, a basic embodiment of the digital datasecurity process 100 and system 200 for tracking and identifyingrenderable digital files is shown. The digital files most applicable tothe present invention include text files constituted of markup language,e.g. docx. Even more preferred are text digital files constituted ofextensible markup language (“XML”). By text files, it is meant filescontaining data rendered by a program into visible text. Markup languageis a modern system for annotating text within a text file according toits attributes. Markup is typically omitted from the version of the textwhich is displayed, i.e. rendered, for end-user consumption. Some markuplanguages, such as HTML, have presentation semantics, meaning theirspecification prescribes how the structured data is to be presented, butother markup languages, such as XML, have no predefined semantics.

As the present invention manipulates markup language documents, theschema corresponding to a particular markup language is determined. Thedigital data security process 100 includes accessing 102 a markuplanguage document object model (“DOM”) 206 that includes markup languageformat schema related to a particular digital file desired to beutilized by the present invention. The markup language DOM defines astandard way for accessing and manipulating markup language documents.The markup language DOM contains methods (functions) to traverse markuplanguage trees and access and manipulate digital file nodes. A parserthat supports the DOM will take the data in a markup language formattedfile and expose the file via a set of objects that a user maymanipulate. The particular DOM that will be applied to the presentinvention may be chosen on the basis of the file that a user desires tocreate or investigate. By way of example, if a user is creating a .docxdocument with the present invention, the process 100 may access 102 theXML DOM.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, to identify and track a digital file900, authenticity data 204 is integrated 104 by a token generator 202into a cryptographic token with an identity marker. The token generator202 includes as an input the digital file 900 with markup language. Asthe digital file 900 will necessarily include file identificationinformation, the token generator may then select the appropriate DOM 206by which to parse the information within the digital file 900. The tokengenerator receives as further input authenticity data 204 supplied by auser of the system. Turning now to FIG. 3, the authenticity data 204 mayinclude one or more authenticity attributes 218. Preferred authenticitydata includes the system data of the computer of the user that ispredefined and globally utilized by the user's computer. Furtherauthenticity data include time stamps, location attribution elements,identity attribution elements, network attribution elements, operatingand software licensing attribution elements, hardware attributionelements, user attribution elements. Potential authenticity data ishighly varied and is not to be limited by the present disclosure; anydata that a user desires to be associated with a document may beutilized as authenticity data.

The token generator 202 creates a cryptographic token 208 composed ofthe identity marker 214 and the authenticity data as the authenticityattributes 218. The encryption performed by the token generator 202 isnot limited to any particular means of encryption. The present inventionmay be utilized with a parameterized hash, polymorphic key or acombination of the two, as well as, symmetric or asymmetric keyencryption. The present invention may be utilized with any number ofmodular encryption routines. The present invention may also be utilizedwith a connection to an identity management system that may or may notrely on certificate based authentication for user identity. To ensurethe integrity of the identity fingerprint, no key elements are storedwithin the fingerprint. The cryptographic token further includes anidentity marker 214. By identity marker 214, it is meant the tokenportion by which the cryptographic token is identified. The identitymarker is a comparative, and/or a correlative function, and is suchwhether the identity marker consists of encrypted data or not. Thepreferred identity marker 214 includes an information segment that isgeneric to the process or system, in other situations, it may bepreferred to utilize identity markers specific to a user. The inventiondoes not require that the document content be encrypted in order toutilize the current invention.

Returning now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the markup language tag arrangement isdetermined 106 by the markup language mapping function 220. The markuplanguage mapping function 220 ascertains the structure of the digitalfile that the user desires to manipulate. The mapping may be assimplistic as searching for a single instance of a particular markuplanguage tag, or may be as complex as mapping the entirety of the filestructure of the digital file in parent/sibling/child nodes. It ispreferred that the present invention utilize a repeating markup languagetag that corresponds to renderable expression. An example of a preferredmarkup language tag includes the markup language tag for the paragraphstructure of a document. For reasons explained in this disclosure,infra, a repeating markup language tag corresponding to renderableexpression is preferred to permit the facile determination of digitalfiles derived from marked files 222, i.e. digital files bearingcryptographic tokens supplied by the present invention.

The token generator 202 with reference to the DOM 206 preferably createsa cryptographic token that in its final form utilizes as expression onlysymbols permitted by the DOM. It is further preferred that the tokengenerator 202 create a cryptographic token that in its final formutilizes as expression symbols purposefully imitative of the markuplanguage tag of the digital file into which the cryptographic token willeventually by placed. For example, if the destination for thecryptographic token is the markup language tag corresponding to aparagraph, the token generator utilizes symbols related to the symbolsfor that of the paragraph markup language tag. The particular means ofimitation may depend on the nature of the desired imitation and knows asits only restriction that the imitation may not permit a program torender the cryptographic token as text or prevent otherwise renderabledata within a functional markup language tag to be rendered as text. Thetoken generator 202 creates a cryptographic token expressed in a form inwhich, when reviewed by a reading program, does not register asfunctional markup language instructions pursuant to the DOM, i.e. thecryptographic token is “inert” as it relates to the DOM and programsoperating with reference to the DOM.

Although the present invention is primarily described herein as relatingto xml files, the invention is broadly applicable to all file forms. Inparticular, the present invention relates to all renderable files thatinclude an unrendered instruction component and a renderable component.An additional example of files amenable to the present invention are.pdf files. Certain pdf files, as characterized in Adobe SystemsIncorporated (2008-07-01), Document Management—Portable Document Format,Part 1: PDF 1.7, First Edition, include highly sophisticated syntax. Thesyntax includes four elements: objects, file structure, documentstructure, and content streams. The pdf file structure determines howobjects are stored in a pdf file, how they are accessed, and how theyare updated. This structure is independent of the semantics of theobjects. The pdf document structure specifies how the basic object typesare used to represent components of a pdf document: pages, fonts,annotations, and the like. A pdf content stream contains a sequence ofinstructions describing the appearance of a page or other graphicalentity. These instructions, while also represented as objects, areconceptually distinct from the objects that represent the documentstructure and are described separately. The cryptographic token may beplaced in any of the pdf syntax sub-element instructions, e.g., markuplanguage tags, that characterize the elements, so such as the placementis inert.

The cryptographic token is embedded 108 by the fingerprint updater 224within one or more of the markup language tags of the destinationdigital file 900 in a manner that prevents the cryptographic token frombeing recognized as functional markup language with reference to the DOMor disrupting legitimate functional markup language present in thedestination digital file prior to the introduction of the cryptographictoken, i.e. “inert” placement within the markup language tag. Togetherwith the inert construction of the cryptographic token, the inertplacement of the cryptographic token with the markup language creates adata structure that is securely embedded within the markup languagedigital file and not renderable or detectable during the normaloperation of a resulting marked digital file 222, yet fully reviewablefor authenticity data. Placement of a cryptographic token is performedvia employing various element attributes of the DOM using standard xmlsyntax and markup. These element attributes include styles, paragraphs,and fonts. A preferred means of placement of a cryptographic tokenincludes positioning the cryptographic token after the “/” in the markuplanguage tag statement which usually terminates in a “</>” phrase.Alternative positioning includes any location within a markup languagethat causes no reaction adverse from the underlying application.

The resulting marked digital file 222 carries within its markup languagetags authenticity data relating to such information as is desired by auser to be associated with the digital file. Turning now to FIGS. 2 and4-6. The marked digital file 222 may be sought by scouring 110 one ormore digital files with a scouring agent 226 for instances of theidentity markers present in marked digital files 222. The means ofscouring 110 are diverse and vary by the capabilities and connectivityof the user. Four preferred means of scouring include transmissionscouring 228, dynamic external scouring 230, dynamic internal scouring232, and manual scouring 234. In manual scouring 234, the user specifiesone or more documents from a suspect document set 902 that it desires tobe scoured. Upon scouring the system and process review the datastructure of the suspect documents 904 within the suspect document set902. The present invention may either seek the identity marker of thecryptographic token or attempt to decrypt portions of the suspectdocument to determine the presence of the cryptographic token. Anydecryption would require a key issued to the user, which may beactivated by an access code input by the user. Digital files bearing acryptographic token of the present invention may be listed in a markeddigital file database 236 or otherwise physically copied in the digitalfile database 236.

In dynamic external scouring 230 the present invention may utilize acrawler bot to scour digital files available over an external network,e.g. the Internet. Upon locating a marked digital file, the system orprocess may list the marked digital files in a marked digital filedatabase 236 or otherwise physically copy the marked digital files inthe marked digital file database 236. In dynamic internal scouring 232,the present invention may utilize a crawler bot to scour digital filesavailable over an internal network, e.g. local area network. Bycrawling, is meant an automated routine by which an agent selects datasources and combs the data sources. External crawling may beaccomplished by any means known in the art, including the meansdisclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,647,370; 7,647,351; 7,181,681; 7,072,890;6,418,433; and 6,638,314, which are hereby incorporated by reference.Internal crawling may be accomplished by any means known in the art,included the means disclosed in 7,698,259; 7,386,544; 6,463,433; and6,321,224, which are hereby incorporated by reference.

Upon locating a marked digital file, the system or process may list themarked digital files in a marked digital file database 236 or otherwisephysically copy the marked digital files in the marked digital filedatabase 236. The present invention need not be confined merely toseeking marked digital files; in certain instances where a network wouldbe populated primarily by marked digital files, the present inventionmay scour suspect document sets 904 for digital files lacking acryptographic token, either partially or wholly. In embodiments of thepresent invention configured to scour suspect document sets 904 fordigital files lacking a cryptographic token, the present invention wouldproceed as in any other scouring embodiment, however, the suspectdocument sets may be identified by through fingerprint analysis aslacking a cryptographic token. The suspect document sets may include anyvariety of document sets and repositories thereof, including internalstorage, websites, databases, networks, etc. Once identified, thedigital file lacking a cryptographic token may be handled as desired bythe operator of the present invention. Such actions may include,forbidding continued transmission of the unmarked file, recording thefile in a database, recording attributes of the file in a database, orany other security action known to IT protection.

With reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, in transmission scouring 228 thepresent invention may utilize a secured gate 240 to review incoming andoutgoing transmissions into/from a local area network or other discreteset of one or more electronic devices 906 capable of generating digitalfiles. The secured gate 240 acts in conjunction with the network server242 to review each digital file passing by the gate to devices 906connected to the network 242. The secured gate 240 checks each filepassing into the network, say for example from the Internet 910, for thepresence of the cryptographic token. It is preferred that the securedgate 240 merely seeks the presence of the identity marker. Upon locatinga digital file with a identity marker, or conversely a file lacking aidentity marker, the present invention may indicate the existence of thedigital file in the digital file database. The secured gate may furthercheck each file passing from the network, say for example to theInternet 910, including such popular external network storage sites asDROPBOX, for the presence of the cryptographic token. It is preferredthat the secured gate 240 merely seeks the presence of the identitymarker. Upon locating a digital file with a identity marker, orconversely a file lacking a identity marker, the present invention mayindicate the existence of the digital file in the digital file database.Furthermore, the present invention may perform a secondary operationdedicated to allowing/denying permission for the egress of the digitalfile.

Turning now to FIGS. 4 and 7, the process of the present invention mayfurther retrieve 112 the authenticity data as plain text from thecryptographic token via the data retriever 250. The data retriever 250may access the database of marked digital files, and upon entry of asecured key code, the key 252 of the user may be used to decrypt theauthenticity data within the cryptographic token into the authenticityattributes 218 as plain text.

The system 200 of FIG. 8 depicts a preferred scouring mechanism pursuantto the process 100 of FIGS. 1 and 9-10. There is at least one electronicdevice 906 connected to a network 242. The electronic device 906 mayinclude software 914 operating the process 100, or portions thereof, ofthe present invention. The software 906 communicates directly withlocally stored documents 910, via a network 242 with network storeddocuments 916, and with a local record database 912. Locally storeddocuments may include the documents on the processing system where thesoftware 914 is operating. The local record database 912 stores copiesof the document identity markers of interest to the user of the system200. Identity markers may be of interest to a user for various reasons;the identity markers may relate to the user, the identity marker mayrelate to specific files that relate to the user, the user may be taskedwith monitoring files bearing the identity markers, etc. The localdatabase may also store the locally stored document names and/or a fullor partial copy of the identity marked documents. The local database mayalso be configured to store and then forward files and records to thenetwork database.

A preferred scouring process 100 includes a file retriever 930 that actsto input files into the software from a source of suspect documents 902.By source or set of suspect documents, it is meant that there is poolfrom which suspect documents may be found rather than implyingforeknowledge of the existence of documents bearing identity markers.The file retriever may vary in complexity and instructions. The fileretriever 930 may seek files from an external source or internal sourceand may do so passively or dynamically. By passively it is meant thatthe file retriever is placed in the stream of file transmissions and thefile retriever accesses only those files within that stream. Bydynamically it is meant that the file retriever is provided instructionsto seek files to input them into the process 100. The file retriever 930passes retrieved files to a file analyzer 932. The file analyzer 932examines the files for applicability as markup language files accordingto the present invention. By markup language files, it is meant that thefile is one that includes renderable data and portable instructions forrendering the data that are themselves not subject to rendering. Theportable instructions are created from text characters, which definenamespaces attributing significance to other strings of text characters,whereby such significance constitutes any number of intrinsicoperations. The present invention may include as a default to accept allfiles that are markup language files, or specified markup files. Thefile analyzer 932 may filter files input into the process as desired bya user. If the file analyzer identifies the file as one accepted by theprocess, it passes the file to a file analyzer 934; or if the file isnot accepted into the process, then the process may terminate or reset.

The fingerprint analyzer 934 reviews the input files for indications ofan identity marker. The fingerprint analyzer 934 may be instructed toanalyze the entirety of a file or specific portions of the file. It maybe advantageous to instruct the fingerprint analyzer to review onlyspecific portions of a file when files of interest include cryptographictokens primarily embedded in high-level syntax signifying generaldocument objects (e.g., type and title); whereas it may be advantageousto instruct the fingerprint analyzer to review the entirety, or largeportions thereof, of a file when files of interest include cryptographictokens embedded in low-level syntax signifying specific, numerousdocument objects (e.g., paragraphs, fonts, etc.). If the fingerprintanalyzer 934 determines the existence of an identity marker, then thefile is passed to decryption function 936; otherwise the file lacking anidentity marker may pass to a fingerprint insertion function 224.

The fingerprint update function 224 inserts a cryptographic token intothe file lacking a cryptographic token. The cryptographic token mayinclude the identity marker and the authenticity data as theauthenticity attributes. After insertion of the cryptographic token intothe file, a database updater 940 routes the file, portions of the file,indications of the identity marker, or other file attribute capable ofidentifying the file or its content in the future to the record database912.

If the fingerprint analyzer 934 determines the existence of an identitymarker, then the file is passed to decryption function 936. Thedecryption function 936 decrypts the file by communicating with thepassword database. The password database 942, which may be a portion ofthe record database 912 or a distinct entity therefrom, provides the keyfor decrypting the authenticity data within the token. A recordretrieval function 944 then attempts to find a record of the file fromthe record database 912.

If a record of the file is located from the record database 912, then arecord comparison function 948 compares the file received from the fileretriever 930 to the attributes of the version of the file or fileportions within the record database 912. The record comparison 948 mayreveal many aspects of the file, including dates of changes, thesubstance of changes, entities that have accessed the document/file,time spent reviewing the document, or any other information that may beobtained, tracked, or recorded in connection with a file. The file isthen passed to the database updater 940 which then sends the file to thefingerprint updater 224. The fingerprint updater 224, in addition to theearlier discussed activity of inserting an identity marker into a filethat previously lacked an identity marker, may alter or replace apre-existing identity marker. The file, or other indication of the file,e.g., the identity marker, is then passed to the record database 912.

If no record of the file had been found in the local record database 912during the record retrieval 944 step of the process 100, then theprocess may proceed to a network record comparison 946. The process 100of FIG. 9 is continued in FIG. 10. The network record comparison maycollect network records from the network record database 950. If thefile or a previous version thereof is found in the network recorddatabase, the cache, the client code database being used to store theobject records for the local documents, is updated 952 and the file issent to the record comparison 948 for passage to the fingerprint updater224 and database updater 940. If the file or a previous version thereofis not found in the network record database, the file is passed directlyto the fingerprint updater 224. The fingerprint updater 224 may alter orreplace the pre-existing identity marker. The file, or other indicationof the file, e.g., the identity marker, is then flagged and then passedto the record database 912. The flagging indicates that the file has notbeen identified or never before fingerprinted/tokenized. Flagging allowsthe present invention to create a token/fingerprint in the flagged file.The flagging may be a distinct step of the process or subcomponent ofthe system, or subsumed into another step of the process or subcomponentof the system.

Turning now to FIG. 11, in view of FIGS. 3 and 9-11, the presentinvention also includes a process 800 for providing an alert based oninformation within a token 208 with the option of taking some furtheraction based on the alert. The token 208 may include within its contentsauthenticity attributes 218 that define the identity of the draftsman ofan editable document—by name, computer, or the like. A software product914 that interacts with the present invention may access 302 from adocument database, whether a local document database or network documentdatabase, an editable document 804 via a file retriever 930. The fileanalyzer 932 reviews the editable document 804 for applicability withthe processes of the present invention. The fingerprint analyzer 934detects the presence of a token 934, which may then be decrypted 936, todetermine the authenticity attributes, including identity data. If thepresent invention detects the presence of identity data that conflictswith, or differs from, the identity of the user or computer system uponwhich the editable file has been accessed, then an alert may be sent bythe alarm 802. The basis of the alert may be the existence ofinstructions within the software product 914, or the basis of the alertmay be the existence of token component, e.g., authenticity attributes218, bearing alert instructions as to the authorizations that permitfurther editing of, or actions relating to, the file. The authorizationsmy include edits by particular people, groups, systems, or any otherentity or division desired.

It is preferred that the existence of an applicable token, for example atoken bearing authenticity data having an alert instruction or alerttransmission instruction, triggers the alarm to notify a monitor program806. The monitor program 806 accesses the record database to ascertaindata related to the token related to the digital file processed by thesoftware product 914. Two preferred versions of the present inventionutilize durable token alert restriction instructions and token alerttransmission instructions. In the former version, the token includesinstructions that travel with the token for file action restrictions andthe token need not correspond with an outside source to instruct thesoftware product directly to restrict file actions. In the latterversion, the token includes instructions to correspond with the monitorprogram for further guidance on file action restriction by which themonitor program instructs the software product directly to restrict fileactions. The present invention may further utilize a combination of thetwo versions, and the significance of the record database may vary fromthe generally passive role of record keeping related to the uses of themarked digital file to the more active role of providing the actionauthorizations. The alarm 802 transmits 306 the existence of the tokento the monitor program 806. The monitor program 806 may not act, simplystore the instance of file action in as great of detail as may bedesired in the record database, or transmit 306 return authorizationsfor actions.

The alarm 802 may provide multiple actions. By edits/actions it is meantthat the file may be locked, or the process otherwise sends anotification, for instructions related to review, modification,distribution, adaptation, display, access, or other action. The alarm802 may perform actions on the local computer system upon which thesoftware product 914 providing the edits is being accessed. It isfurther preferred that the alarm 802 send an alert of the access to theeditable document over the network 242. Further instructions may arrivefrom over the network and the access, which was the subject of thealert, may be logged in a database, network or local. A preferredinstruction prevents further actions by a realtime user of an editabledocument 804 of the present invention that differs from the documentscreator. Although the instructions have been discussed in reference toidentity authenticity data, instructions may be provided on the basis ofany conflict, contrast, or like test with any variety of authenticitydata of the token.

Although editable documents may be closed for further editing by theprogram that has created the particular editable document file, thepresent invention may be utilized as a global edit-lock solution. Thatis to say, the present invention may, so long as it interacts withsoftware that edits a document, may provide edit locks for that softwarethat replace or supplement that software's native edit lock functions.When applied to multiple software products that edit documents, thepresent invention further provides a uniform solution to edit locks andalerts throughout a system.

Although the present invention has been described in considerable detailwith reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versionswould be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art.Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not belimited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein.

What is claimed is:
 1. A digital data security scouring process formonitoring digital file transmissions, said process comprising:positioning a file retriever in a transmission pathway between anelectronic device and a file repository; monitoring said transmissionpathway for a secured digital marked file, said secured digital markedfile comprising: markup language tags constructed according to a markuplanguage document object model (“DOM”); and a textual cryptographictoken, inertly embedded within at least one markup language tag of saiddigital file, with encrypted authenticity data and a visible identitymarker.
 2. The process of claim 1 wherein said positioning step includespositioning said file retriever with access to a network.
 3. The processof claim 1 wherein said positioning step includes positioning said fileretriever within a memory of said electronic device.
 4. The process ofclaim 1 further comprising the step of accessing a record database of atleast one target visible identity marker.
 5. The process of claim 4further comprising the step of comparing at least one of said targetvisible identity markers of said record database to said visibleidentity marker of said secured digital marked files.
 6. The process ofclaim 5 further comprising the step of decrypting said authenticitydata.
 7. The process of claim 6 further comprising the step ofretrieving from said record database a record of an ancestor markeddigital file of said secured marked digital file, wherein said securedmarked digital file includes authenticity data related to authenticitydata of said ancestor marked digital file.
 8. The process of claim 7further comprising the step of comparing attributes of said ancestormarked digital file with attributes of said secured marked digital file.9. The process of claim 8 further comprising the step of updating saidcryptographic token of said secured marked digital file with updatedauthenticity data.
 10. The process of claim 9 further comprising thestep of updating said record database to include attributes of saidsecured marked digital file.
 11. The process of claim 10 wherein saidstep of updating said record database includes updating said recorddatabase to includes attributes that consist of said visible identitymarker and said authenticity data.
 12. A digital data security scouringsystem for monitoring digital file transmissions, said processcomprising: an electronic device; a file repository; a file retriever,in a transmission pathway between said electronic device and said filerepository, adapted to monitor said transmission pathway for a secureddigital marked file, said secured digital marked file comprising: markuplanguage tags constructed according to a markup language document objectmodel (“DOM”); and a textual cryptographic token, inertly embeddedwithin at least one markup language tag of said digital file, withencrypted authenticity data and a visible identity marker.
 13. Thesystem of claim 12 wherein said file retriever accesses a network. 14.The system of claim 12 wherein said file retriever is within a memory ofsaid electronic device.
 15. The system of claim 12 further comprising arecord database of at least one target visible identity marker.
 16. Thesystem of claim 15 further comprising a fingerprint analyzer adapted tocompare at least one of said target visible identity markers of saidrecord database to said visible identity marker of said secured digitalmarked files.
 17. The system of claim 16 further comprising a decryptengine adapted to decrypt said authenticity data.
 18. The system ofclaim 17 further comprising a record retrieval engine adapted toretrieve from said record database a record of an ancestor markeddigital file of said secured marked digital file, wherein said securedmarked digital file includes authenticity data related to authenticitydata of said ancestor marked digital file.
 19. The system of claim 18further comprising a record comparer adapted to compare attributes ofsaid ancestor marked digital file with attributes of said secured markeddigital file.
 20. The system of claim 19 further comprising afingerprint updater adapted to update said cryptographic token of saidsecured marked digital file with updated authenticity data.
 21. Thesystem of claim 20 further comprising a database updater adapted toupdate said record database to include attributes of said secured markeddigital file.
 22. The system of claim 21 wherein said attributes consistof said visible identity marker and said authenticity data.
 23. Adigital data security scouring system for monitoring digital filetransmissions, said process comprising: an electronic device; a filerepository; a file retriever, in a transmission pathway between saidelectronic device and said file repository, adapted to monitor saidtransmission pathway for a secured digital marked file, said secureddigital marked file comprising: markup language tags constructedaccording to a markup language document object model (“DOM”); and atextual cryptographic token, inertly embedded within at least one markuplanguage tag of said digital file, with encrypted authenticity data anda visible identity marker, and wherein said cryptographic token includesa structure inherently inert to said DOM; and a fingerprint analyzeradapted to compare at least one of said target visible identity markersof said record database to said visible identity marker of said secureddigital marked files.